Cooks, All Other

United States SOC 35-2019.00 Food Service Confidence ★★★★★

Also called: Assistant Cook, Falafel Cart Cook, Fraternity House Cook

All cooks not listed separately.

Median annual pay
$37,690
25th–75th pct. $32,150–$43,680
Top pay (est.)
$66,500
Top 10% $51,140
Pay in 5 years
$44,200est.
2031
Pay in 10 years
$51,900est.
$44,600–$60,200
Outlook score
63/100
★★★☆☆ Average
AI replacement risk
25%
Low
Job growth (10 yr)
+5.2%
2,800 openings / yr

What cooks, all other do

All cooks not listed separately.

Typical path into the job (BLS)

Education No formal educational credentialRelated experience NoneOn-the-job training Moderate-term on-the-job training

Cooks, All Other salary

The median annual wage for cooks, all other is $37,690 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $27,040 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $51,140. The mean annual wage is $39,150.

Median
$37,690
Mean
$39,150
10th percentile
$27,040
Entry level
25th percentile
$32,150
75th percentile
$43,680
90th percentile
$51,140
Top earners
Mean hourly wage
$18.00
2.5× the federal minimum ($7.25)
In Japanese yen
¥5.93M
≈ at 157.25 JPY/USD

The mean hourly wage of $18.00 is 2.5× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →

How does your pay compare with people your age?

Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).

Pay by percentile

Entry level (10th pct.)
$27,040
Early career (25th pct.)
$32,150
Mid career (median)
$37,690
Experienced (75th pct.)
$43,680
Top earners (90th pct.)
$51,140

Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.

How median, percentiles and the pay range are defined →

Projected pay for Cooks, All Other (3, 5 and 10 years)est.

Today $37,690 → in 3 years $41,500 → in 5 years $44,200 → in 10 years $51,900 (10-year range $44,600–$60,200). The model assumes pay growth of +3.2% per year.

$37,690
Now
2026
$41,500
In 3 yrs
2029
$38,300–$45,100
$44,200
In 5 yrs
2031
$39,800–$49,300
$51,900
In 10 yrs
2036
$44,600–$60,200

What drives the annual growth rate

Base wage growth +3.0%Labor demand +0.06%AI impact +0.19%Total +3.2% / yr

Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →

Outlook score for Cooks, All Other

63/100
★★★☆☆
Average · ranked #172 of all U.S. occupations
Pay level
8 pts
AI resistance
75 pts
Annual openings
84 pts
Projected growth
73 pts

Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.

Will AI replace Cooks, All Other? AI replacement risk

25%
Low
Ranked #180 safest from AI among all U.S. occupations
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

How AI is changing this job

A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.

AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →

Labor demand for Cooks, All Other

Employment
19K
BLS OEWS
Projected employment
21K
2025–35
Projected change
+5.2%
ranked #220 for growth
Annual openings
2,800
growth + replacement needs
Demand score
High
68/100
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
Work experience
None
in a related occupation
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.

Skills, education and requirements for Cooks, All Other

How to become cooks, all other

Typical education
No formal educational credential
BLS
Related experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.

Career path and how to earn more as cooks, all other

Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.

Pay and employment figures are national statistics. Projected pay, outlook scores and AI replacement risk are estimates from the Shigoto Zukan model, not guarantees. To request a correction, use the contact form. How to read the data
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35; O*NET 31.0 Database by USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0), modified by Shigoto Zukan. Pay ranges, projections and scores are Shigoto Zukan estimates.